1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to garments. More particularly, the invention relates to a shirt having an expandable collar to enable the collar to adjust to slight variations in neck size, thereby making it more comfortable to wear. The expandable collar of the invention also accommodates a small range of different neck sizes, enabling fewer shirt sizes to be manufactured and inventoried. Further, the expandable collar of the invention is easier to button because of the slight stretch or yield of the material.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Shirts having collars, e.g., dress shirts, are normally sold in sizes based upon the circumference of the collar and the length of the sleeves. Manufacturers presently make shirts with collar sizes varying in half inch increments, e.g., 15, 151/2, 16, 161/2 etc. These incremental sizes enable most users to find a comfortable fit, but require a large number of different sizes to be manufactured and inventoried. Moreover, the wearer's neck size may vary slightly during the course of a day, or over some other period of time, and a previously selected neck size may become uncomfortable or inappropriate. Further, even when the shirt fits comfortably, it is sometimes difficult to button the collar button.
Various solutions to the problem have been offered in the prior art. For instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,396,842 to Franklin, reinforced stitching is placed in the neckband during manufacture of the shirt, with the stitching extending generally transversely of the length of the neckband, and resembling the stitching around a button hole. If the collar becomes too tight for some reason, the fabric in the area bordered by the stitching can be cut, thereby enabling the neckband to expand slightly, effectively increasing the length of the neckband. The opening formed by cutting the material bordered by the reinforced stitching is disposed wholly within the neckband, and the top and bottom edges of the neckband remain unaffected. Thus, elongation of the neckband is limited due to the restraining effect of the stitching at the top and bottom edges of the neckband. Moreover, in order for the invention shown in this patent to be operative, it is necessary for the user to cut the fabric bordered by the reinforced stitching.
Other solutions to this problem have been offered by U.S. Pat. No. 2,025,485 to Tucker, U.S. Pat. No. 2,087,532 to Shepherd, U.S. Pat. No. 2,996,723 to Ainslie, U.S. Pat. No. 3,148,377 to Anderson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,328,808 to Ambrose and U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,884 to Sherman. All of these patents rely upon some form of elastic material to permit the circumference of the collar to expand to accommodate to different neck sizes.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,101,380 to Alston discloses a different arrangement, wherein a box pleat is formed completely along the back of the shirt and through the neckband, with an adjustable strap and buckle to enable the pleat to be closed or opened.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,853 to Millican discloses another arrangement, wherein multiple fasteners are provided in order to adjust the circumference of the shirt collar, depending upon which fastener is selected.
Many of these prior art arrangements are relatively complicated and expensive to manufacture, and/or require specific action or manipulation by the user, and/or apply a constant compressive force to the neck.
In applicant's prior application Ser. No. 09/172,358, an expandable collar was accomplished by use of expandable slits in the neckband. Although this approach solved the "comfort" problem, it requires an additional manufacturing step, moreover, if the collar is raised or folded up, the slits are noticeable to the wearer and those near him.
Accordingly, there is need for a simple and economical means associated with the collar of a shirt to enable the size of the collar to automatically expand or contract to compensate for an increase or decrease in the neck size of the user, and to enable a shirt manufactured in a single neck size to fit persons having different neck sizes, without requiring additional manufacturing steps or producing a noticeably different appearance to the wearer or those near him.